NEW YORK — Subway service remains disrupted in parts of Manhattan to begin today (Friday, Jan. 5) following Thursday’s low-speed collision between two trains just outside the 96th Street station on the 1, 2, and 3 lines.
The incident involving a No. 1 train carrying about 300 people and an out-of-service No. 1 train that had been vandalized earlier occurred about 3 p.m. [see “New York subway trains collide at low speed …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 4, 2024]. Updated information from the Fire Department of New York says at least 26 people were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
New York City Transit announced service would remain suspended on the three lines affected through at least the morning rush-hour period. As of 7 a.m. ET, work was continuing to repair the derailed train and remove it from the accident site; once that is completed, the track will need to be inspected and repairs will be made as needed to the track and infrastructure before service can resume.
Officials clarified during a press conference this morning that both trains derailed, the New York Times reports. One car of the train that was carrying passengers was in a low-clearance area of the subway tunnel, making re-railing difficult. “With only inches to spare in this tunnel, it’s an incredibly delicate process,” New York City Transit President Richard Davey said. “Our hope is to try to get back some service today.”
The other nine cars of that train have been removed, Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber said. The front car of the out-of-service train also derailed; it remains in the area as work continues. Problems with that train began when vandals pulled emergency cords to activate the brakes at 79th Street; Davey said Thursday night that workers were not able to reset one of those brake cords, so the train was being moved slowly for further work when it collided with the other train, which was switching tracks as it left the 96th Street station.
— Updated at 9:20 a.m. CT with information from morning press conference.
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